Automatic switch.



V. C. PICKLE.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT'. s, 1910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

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VOYL C. PICKLE, 0F PALESTINE, TEXAS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed September 3, 1910. Serial No. 580,381.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Vorn C. PICKLE, a 5 citizen of the United States, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas7 have invented a new and useful Automatic Switch; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

This invention belongs to the art of railway equipment, and it particularly pertains to a new andpuseful automatic switch mechanism, which can be readily and automatically operated by the flanges of the car wheel coming in contact with arms of rocking rods, between which and the switch points connections are provided, in order to throw the switch points to one side or the other.

An object of the invention is to provide means for receivingl and holding the arms of said rods down when depressed, in order to prevent the switch points from being jarred from the positions they assume when thrown.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for guiding the connecting bar between the switch points when moved.

A further feature of the invention is the production of the usual means for throwing the switch points by hand when it is so desired. p

The drawing only discloses one form of the invention; however, in practical fields, this form may require changes and alterations, to which the applicantis entitled, provided such alterations and changes are comprehended by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspecti-ve view of al railroad, showing the usual form of switch points, and the means to be operated by the flanges of the car wheels for throwing the switch points. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the rocking rods and its coperating parts. Fig. A is an enlarged detail view of one of the guiding means for the connecting bar of the switch point.

As to the drawings, illustrating the preferred form of the invent-ion, 1 denotes the usual form of road bed, which is provided with the usual ties 2, upon which the stationary rails 3, 4, 5 and 6 are arranged. It

will be seen that the rails 3 and 4 are laid in one direction, while the rails 5 and 6 are laid to run in a. different direction. These two directions are indicated by the characters a and b, while the other portion of the rails 3 and 6 are laid to run in the direction indicated by the character c. y

7 and S represent the switch points, which are thrown in such wise as to cause a train or car coming from the direction c, to travel in the direction indicated at o. TvVhen a car travels in the direction of Z) coming from c, the arm 9 is depressed, thereby rocking the rod 10 in its bearings 11. When the rod 10 is thus rocked, the switch points 7 and 8 are thrown in a position opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, through the medium of the connecting bar 12, the angular lever 13 and the rod 14C (which is connected between one of the arms of the angular lever 13 and the arm 15 of the rocking rod 10). `When the arm 9 is depressed, it is received and held depressed by the spring arms 16 of the holding member 17, with suicient force to hold the switch points in the positions thrown. It will be understood, however, there is to be suliicient room between the switch points and the rocking rod 10, to accommodate one, two, or more cars coming from the direction c in the direction Z9, in order that the rear of the last car will have passed the switch points before the arm 9 is depressed. This switch mechanism is designed primarily for use upon road beds of suburban trolley lines, upon which trains composed of one, two or three cars are used. The bar 12 is connected to the switch points by means of the plates 18, there being only one illustrated, in order to cause the switch points to move in unison. The switch points are not provided with pivots in order to permit them to be moved, but are of sucient resiliency between the points designated by CZ, e, f, and g, to allow them to be sprung from one position to another.

It will be understood that when the arm 9 is depressed, the switch points are thrown in a position to allow a train coming from c to travel in the direction of a, for example, when a train or car is traveling in the direction of Z) from c. When the switch points are thrown in a position opposite to that shown in Fig. 1, and a train or car is traveling in the direction of a from o, the arm 19 is depressed, after the rear part of the last car has passed the switch points. By depressing the arm 19, the rod 20 is rocked in its bearings 21, which will cause the switch points to be set in the positions shown in Fig. 1, through the medium of the angular lever 22 (which is connected to the bar 12) and the rod 23, which is connected between one of the arms of the lever 22 and the arm 24 of the rod 20, to permit a car or train to travel in the direction of b from c. The arm 19 is also held-in a depressed position by means of the spring arms 25 of the member 26, which is similar to the member 17. Vhen either of the arms 9 and 19 is depressed, there is suiiicient rigidity between the connections of the switch points and the rods 10 and 2O to lift either one of the arms 9 and 19 from between the spring arms of the members 17 and 2G. When a car or train is running from Z) or a toward c, either one of the arms 9 and 19 is depressed, and the switch point-s t-hrown, but however, the switch points are again instantly returned to the positions they assumed prior to the operation of the arms 9 and 19, by a train going from a or Z) in the direction of c. It will be evident that trains coming from c, to be branched off in either the direction a or Z) will alternately set the switch points for each succeeding` train or car.

27 represents guide members, which are provided with recesses 2S to receive the angled ends 29 of the bar 12, in order to guide the bar when it is moved.

To operate the switch points by hand, a standard 30 is provided, upon which a lever 31 is pivoted, the lower end of which is connected to the bar 12. By throwing the lever in one direction or the other, the switch point may be set, to permit a train coming from c to travel in either direction a or b.

F rom the foreging, it will be noted that a novel form of mechanism is provided,

which may be operated by the flanges of the car wheel for throwing the switch points.

The invention having been set forth, what isl claimed as new and useful is l. In combination with a switch throwing mechanism, a pair of switch points, rocking rods, said rods having arms to be depressed by the flanges of car wheels to rock the rods, connections between the rocking rods and the switch points, and members having spring arms to receive the first named armswhen depressed.

2. In combination with a switch throwing mechanism, a pair of switch points, a bar connecting the switch points to cause them to move in unison, guide members for said bar, rocking rods arranged transversely of the rails, bearings therefor, said rodshaving arms projecting therefrom to be depressed by the flanges of car wheels to rock the rods, and connections between the rocking rods and the bar for throwing the switch points.

3. In combination with a switch throwing mechanisn'l, a pair of switch points, a bar connectingthe switch points to cause them to move in unison, guide members for said bar, rocking rods arranged transversely of the rails, bearings therefor, said rods having arms projecting therefrom to be depressed by the flanges of car wheels to rock the rods, and connectionsbetween the rocking rods and the bar for throwing the switch points, and members having spring arms between which the first named arms may be received to hold them depressed. Y

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VOYL C. VPICKLE Witnesses:

E. J. SANDERS, R101-IARD LINDSEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

